Left Unsaid
by zukoo
Summary: Zuko and Katara have always been at odds with each other; they never got along. They live in two different nations, are two different benders, and have grown up in two different lifestyles. But who says that the bantering is all real? What if it's just pretend? When Zuko is challenged by a harsh decision, he has to choose between love or respect and honour. What will he choose?
1. Clarification

So. I thought I'd start off by writing a little clarification to my fan fiction. Aang isn't the avatar and is never intended to be in my fan fiction. He is just a simple airbender living with the monks. I write this fan fiction when Avatar Roku is the avatar. He had a "leave of abscence", almost like Aang did in the show. I don't really elaborate on it in my fanfiction because it's not really important to the story. If you want to know, I can write a prologue of some sort before I begin writing the chapters if you're those sort of readers that like a lot of background history. But basically, my fan fiction starts once Roku is back. The Fire nation is the dominant species and benders, so therefore they have a lot of control; especially since Roku is a native fire bender. I start off at the southern water tribe where Katara and Sokka are located, and this is the most inferior location/tribe in the whole world. Every place else is pretty much equal. If you really wanted an elaborate class scale it would go from Fire Nation - Ba Sing Sey - Northern Water Tribe - all air temples/other earth nations - southern water tribe.

Anyways, that's the basics of the background/recent history of the story and it's current state. Everything is in the same predicament, besides Aang not having anything to do with being the Avatar. So, if there's no questions or concerns, I will post up Chapter One either tonight or tomorrow, depending if I'm in the mood.


	2. Chapter 1

At the South Pole, the southern water tribe inhabits it location. The villiage that hold the tribe is a small one, as the tribe is small in number. The majority of the water benders and families are located at the North Pole. Because of the invasion that happened in the Avatars abscence, mant families and benders fled to the North because of their stronger army and protection. Now that the Avatar has returned, the Southern Water Tribe has gained stability and balance. They still receive some harassment from the fire warriors since they are stronger in power. They are led to believe that they are given freedom to do so because the Avatar is a native fire bender. Consequences are strongly encouraged, and because of this, the fire warriors mainlu verbally harass them and get away with warnings.

On one of their better days, a water bender named Katara and her gran gran, as well as some of the villiage children, had gone fishing. At least so far, they haven't had any mishaps with the fire warriors since two days prior to now. The villiage was content with that; they were hoping that the fire warriors may have stopped entirely. Maybe the Avatar finally talked some sense into them.

Pushing it to the back of her mind, Katara concentrated on the fish that swam in the river beneath her. Sokka was out hunting otter-seals for the villiages feast tonight. Once a year, they collect a selection of foods to gather and celebrate the moon on the winter solstice, when the moon will be highest in the sky for the longest night. This is an important night for the water benders because their bending is most powerful when the moon is risen. The night of the winter solstice is when their bending reaches its peak. Katara, as well as the other few benders who remain, look forward to this night each year. Katara has always been the main focus of the show because her bending has always been strongest than most at the villiage. This is because she trained with the Northern Water Tribe before the invasion occured so she could better protect her tribe. It has had its benefits since then.

Katara was brought back to her senses when her gran-gran tapped her shoulder and pointed to the opposite side of the villiage. She was shocked when she saw the fire warriors arive. What suprised her the most was that Avatar Roku was in their company. Her lips parted as she gasped. Sokka sprinted his way over to Katara anbd gran-gtan, huddling over them. "What is the Fire Nation doing here? And with the Avatar?" he asked. Katara just looked in awe. "I don't know, Sokka. I don't know."


	3. Chapter 2

Sokka equipped himself and joined his father as well as the other men of the villiage. They bowed respectively, fist to palm, as they welcomed the Avatar. Avatar Roku slightly bowed his head, acknowledging their welcome. "Avatar Roku" said Chief Hakoda, "is there something wrong?" Roku shook his head no. "Nothings wrong. I'm here to help clear up some things. There has been more than several complaints that my warriors have been bringing havock to your villiage. Is this correct?" he asked as Hakoda nodded, "yes they have." Roku looked to his warriors, nodding his head to the ship. The warriors turned and made their way onto it as Zuko, Azula, and Fire Lord Ozai made their way out. Roku turned his attention back to Hakoda. "The Fire Lord, Prince, Princess and I have all discussed the matter and came to a conclusion. We all agreed that the warriors are no longer allowed on your territory, so long as you give double the shipment to Ba Sing Sey. Does this sound fair?" Roku asked. "Let me talk it over with my men" Hakoda said, turning as everyone gathered in a circle.

Katara and gran-gran made their way over to the group. "What's the matter, dad? Is everything okay?" she asked. He explained to her and his mother what the Avatar was asking of them. "If we take this offer, we have to work twice as hard. We hunt more, fish more often, and produce more clothes as well as tools." We'll be working more hours in the day with less to no free time. Do we think the villiage is capable of doing this?" The group murmured amongst each other. "Our tribe is so little, there's only so much we can do. This might be pushing it Hakoda, don't you think?" stated someone from the group. "Well, can't we comprimise with the Northern Water Tribe and see if some of the ones who fled will come back? The more people we have the better." Katara stated as gran-gran smiled. "She does have a point, Hakoda. They really should have came back when the Avatar returned." The group discussed it, murmuring.

"Are you almost finished? We don't have all day to stand here and wait" Zuko fretted, stepping to Roku's side. "Patience, Zuko. We don't want them to feel rushed, we want them to agree" Roku stated. "We'll be done when we're done. You're prince of the fire nation, not here" Katara said sternly, staring at him with a mean eye. Irritation crossed his face. "Women should know their place an not speak out to men of higher class." he spat at her. Azula shoved his shoulder and scoffed, rolling her eyes. Zuko just shook his head and crossed his arms. Katara was about to argue in his face when her father stopped her in her tracks. "Enough, Katara." She huffed and turned to stand by gran-gran. Gran-gran placed her hand in the middle of Kataras back and rubbed between her shoulder blades.

"So, we'll taker the offer, but with one exception. We wish to contact the Northern Water Tribe and ask for their assistance. We weish for the ones who fled to come back and help us with our daily duties" Hakoda explained, standing in silence as Roku considered. He looked back at Zuko, Azula and Ozai as they nodded their approval. "So it's settled," Roku said, "if you wish, you, your son and daughter can accompany us on our way there to make sure they get convinced by someone on their side. Good enough?" Hakoda shook his head. "Katara stays here, she needs to help around the villiage." Katara looked at him in surprise. "But dad-!" Katara started but was inturrupted by her father. He shook his head again. "I want you to stay here and stay safe with gran-gran. Look after her. You also have the water bending performance tonight." Gloom crossed over her face as Zuko looked smug. "Good luck, water bender. You gonna do some frilly water tricks" Zuko mocked. "Heh, you're funny. What's with your hair? I thought girls only wore pony tails." He narrowed his eyes at her, shaking his head, "lets go Azula." She and Zuko went to the ship while Roku and Ozai finished business. Sokka tensed, looking annoyed. His hadn went to his hair and he pulled out the band, his hair falling around his face. He blew at a strand that landed in his face.

"You and Sokka will come with us and we'll head to the Northern Water Tribe. Since we're going by boat, it'll take about 6-8 days to get there." Roku stated. Hakoda nodded, looking at Sokka. "Are you ready?" he asked. Sokka nodded and they followed Roku onto the ship. Katara headed back to the villiage with gran-gran following behind her. "I can't believe this" she murmered to herself.


	4. Chapter 3

(a few hours later) Katara and Gran-Gran were sitting in their hut as try got prepared for the performance in about an hour. Katara fiddled with her thumbs as Gran-Gran was fixing her hair. "What's the matter Katara? You're as nervous as a tick." Katara paused and took a deep breath, shoving her hands under her thighs so she can sit still. "Do you think dad and Sokka will be okay? The fire nation warriors aren't exactly the nicest people around. Just because Roku says they'll stop doesn't exactly mean they'll become saints." Gran-gran let out a little chuckle and patted her shoulder. "They'll do fine sweetheart. They've had training for the war; thy know what to do to protect themselves in the worst case scenario. They'll be okay." she said, reassuring Katara. Gran-gran leaned in to give a peck on Kataras cheek.

"So, are you ready for the performance tonight?" she asked as Katara turned to face her. "I've been practicing a lot, and the choreography is very well done this year. I'm very excited!" se answered, her voice louder with anxiety. Then, a woman from the villiage popped her head in the doorway of the hut. "Gran, we need you for some decoration assistance. You think you can help?" Gran-gran nodded, smiling. "I'll be there in a minute." The woman smiled, nodding her acknowledgement and leaving. Gran-gran stood and faced Katara. "Good luck, Tara-kat. I know you'll do fantastic tonight." she said, using a nickname she used to call Katara when she was younger. She disliked it a lot at the time, but it's grown on her since. "Thanks Gran-gran, I'll need it." She patted her cheek and left the hut to help out.

Katara turned to the desk next to her, grabbing a picture of her mother drawn by her father. She lifted her other hand to the necklace se recieved from her mom and let out a half smile. "I miss you so much mom. I wish you could be here to celebrate with all of us." she whispered, tracing her fingers over the photo. Out of nowhere, she felt a hand grip her mouth tightly and we eyes widened as she dropped the photo. She let out a muffled scream and tried kicking around to make some noise, scratching the attacker. Before being able to make any noise, she felt a heavy pain above her right ear and all she saw was a flash of white and then black.

(A few hours later) Katara slowly came to her senses, groaning. She slowly opened her eyes to take in her surroundings. It took a few moments before everything came into focus. She looked around, noticing an empty room with metal walls and metal door. Her wrists were in chains and elevated as she was kneeling. She felt her stomach twist with fear. "Where am I?" she whispered to herself.


	5. Chapter 4

Fire Lord Ozai and Zuko were guiding Hakoda and Sokka through the ship to their rooms. Thy remained silent on the way there. As they came to, Ozai and Zuko turned. "So here's where you'll be staying. You can get yourself settled and meet up at the avatars headquarters in an hour. We'll see you then." Hakoda and Sokka nodded as they entered their room. Ozai and Zuko lingered in the hallway as Ozai spotted a mark on Zukos face. "Where'd you get that scratch on your face, Zuko?" Ozai asked. Zuko lifted his hand to his cheek and traced a finger over it. He hesitated slightly before answering. "I was helping my uncle Iroh with his tea when we got back on the ship. One of the cups fell and broke and a piece of glass nicked my face." he answered, keeping his eyes on the ground. Ozai looked quizzically at him but decided not to question it and let it go; he just nodded. "Will you be coming with me to see Roku?" Ozai asked. Zuko shook his head, crossing his arms. "I've got to get some things done and then meet up with admiral Zhao." Zuko answered, letting his arms fall to his sides. Ozai nodded and leaded to Rokus room.

Back at Hakodas and Sokkas room, they looked around and studied it; the walls were made up of metal with little candles as the only source of light reflecting off of them. There were two single person beds parellel to each other at the opposite end with matted pillows and thin blankets. "Not very homey, but it'll have to do." said Hakoda, running his hand over the bed. Sokka shrugged, falling on top of his bed and getting comfortable. The next room over held Katara. Se was listening carefully when she heard the voices out in the hall but couldn't recognize them clearly. She wondered if she would be able to hear them in the next room over, or even talk to them of she could. As far as she knew, they weren't talking, or maybe the walls were too thick for her to even hear anything. She looked at her wrists and was trying to think of ways she can get herself out. There was no water around for her to bend, and the only thing she could think of was sweat. But how could she produce sweat being tied up and limited to move around? It would've difficult to even bend since her wrists were tied. She blew at a piece of hair that fell at her face, then pulled at the chains to see of she could loosen the grips and set herself free.

All of a sudden, the door to the room unlocked and opened, revealing Zuko. She scrunched her brows together in confusion. "Zuko? What are you-?" she sarted but was interrupted by Zuko. "Stay quiet. Nobody is supposed to know you're here." he said, closing the door behind him and walking to her. Her confused look remained on her face as she studied him. "What are you talking about? Why am I here? Can't you help me get out?" she asked, shaking the chains. He had a hard, lean look to his face and his body was tense with his shoulders back. "Well, why would I do that? I captured you on admiral Zhaos terms. We're trying to capture the greatest benders of each element and use them to make our army stronger. You are hat the beginning!" he said, walking around her, then stopping in front of her again and kneeling to be at eye level. "On our last trip to Ba Sing Sey, we captured a very head strong yet stubborn earthbending girl named Toph. I think you two will get along quite well." he stated, standing and walking to the door, pausing as Katara began to speak. "You're disgusting, I would never think you of all people would do this." Zuko chuckled, looking over his shoulder to her. "I or admiral Zhao will return to get you an sneak you onto another boat. I believe you can behave until then." he stated, opening the door to leave. Katara thrashed and pulled at the chains, hoping he would come back to release her. But he was gone and she looked at the door with a devilish look.


	6. Chapter 5

Zuko exited Kataras room and walked down the hallway to Hakodas and Sokkas room, knocking on the door. A few moments later, Hakoda opened the door. "Good evening, Zuko" he said, bowing respectively with fist to palm as Zuko returned the gesture. "Roku and Ozai awaits you in the Avatars headquarters. If you go up the stairs at the end of the hallway and turn right, it'll be the second door on the left. You'll see it, it's a big decorative, embroidered door." Zuko instructed. Hakoda nodded and gave a little smile. Zuko looked passed him at Sokka; he was messing with his boomerang when it flew out of his hand and ricochet against the wall, hitting him in the forehead. Zuko narrowed his eyes in disinterest as he acknowledged Sokkas stupidity. "Will you be joining us?" Hakoda asked as Zuko shook his head. "No, I will not. I have to meet up with admiral Zhao abd discuss some things, although Azula might join you in time." he explained. Hakoda nodded his understanding, then turning to face Sokka. "Lets go, we don't want to keep them waiting too long." Sokka joined at his fathers side, blushing at his own foolishness as he passed Zuko, who was giving him an uneasy look.

Zuko waited for their absence and headed for Zhaos room on the deck of the ship. It was biiger than the rooms in the basement level and had better, elegant furniture as well as lighting. Zuko knocked on the door gently, opening it as he popped his head in. "Zhao?" he said, letting himself into the room and closing the door behind him, staying near the door. His face was softer and calmer, his guard down as well. Zhao sat on the edge of the bed looking at scrolls with maps printed on them. He put them down when he realized it was Zuko who entered. "How're things? Did you hide the water bender with ease?" Zhao asked, his voice stern. Zuko gave a gentle nod. "She's in a room in the basement level. No one should be able to hear her down there." he responded, his voice light and soft. "Good. Everything is going according to plan." Zhao said, grinning and rubbing his hands together. Zuko stayed silent for a few moments before respinding. "Do we really have to do this, Zhao? I hate pretending like I want this to happen; happen to Katara." he stated, admitting his feelings.

Zhao turned to face Zuko, walking towards him. "You need to let these feelings go, Zuko. You agreed to do this with me and you can't back down now because you feel bad for some girl. Understood?" he said, keeping his eye on Zuko. Bur Zuko remained silent, his head turned away from Zhao. "Is this understood, Zuko?" he asked again, emphasizing the words as he stepped closer and closed the space between them. Zuko then looked at him, nodding. "Yes, Zhao. I understand." Zuko said, almost in a whisper. Zhao smiled. "Good. Now, when we stop at the Northern Water tribe, we'll recieve Toph and Katara and get them off the ship. There'll be another one with some warriors and we'll head to the Western Air Temple. There, we'll find a group of airbenders. A kid named Aang will be among them; he's who we want. Once we have him, we'll return to the ship and head back to the Fire Nation. Is this clear?" Zhao asked. Zuko nodded, looking is Zhaos eyes. Zhao half smiled. "I appreciate your participation in the manner. You can go, that's all I need." Zuko eyed the ground, rubbing a hand over his face, sighing. "I can't believe this." he whispered, turning to leave as Zhao narrowed his eyes at him. "What was that?" Zhao asked. Zuko paused with his hand on the nob of the door, shaking his head. "Nothing" he mumbled, slamming the door shut as he left.


	7. Chapter 6

An hour after meeting with Admiral Zhao, Zuko laid in his room on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His hands lay at his sides, clenching and unclenching. He sighed heavily, closing his eyes tight in hope of shutting out his thoughts. He had to get Katara out; he just had to. 'I can't let her go through this, not this torture.' he thought, 'I never should have captured her; I didn't want to." Admiral Zhao's words spat at him, "You can't back down now because you feel bad for some girl." Zuko grunted, sitting up and turning his legs over the edge of his bed. He rested his elbows on his knees and placed his face in his hands. "Fine, Zhao. If I can't back down now, I'll just play you at your own game." he whispered to himself. He lifted up his head, eying the bed side table. He reached over to open the drawer, until a gentle knock on the door startled him and he forced it shut. Admiral Zhao slightly opened the door and popped his head it. "It's time. Roku, Ozai, Azula, the warriors and two water tribe visitors are exiting the ship. We're limited on time, so make it quick." he explained as Zuko nodded. Admiral Zhao left without a word. Zuko looked back at the drawer, slowly opening it. Inside laid black clothing and a blue mask that rested on top of it. He fingered the designs on the mask, tracing his fingers along the crevices. 'Soon.' he thought. He grabbed them from the drawer and hid them under his uniform, exiting the room.

He made his way to the basement floor where the messenger bird resided. Paper and a pencil lingered on a desk. He made the risky decision to write to his mother, who he hasn't talked to since he was a little kid. She resided at their summer village, and he wrote to her about the current situation he was in, and asked if she and one of the men from the village could come retrieve him and Katara. He was ready to get Katara out; she wouldn't be able to survive what Zhao would put her through. He tied up the paper and handed it to the messenger bird, opening the little escape window so the bird could fly out. When he was sure the bird made it without any complications, he changed clothes, cut his ponytail so his hair fell short around his face, hid his face behind the mask and headed to Kataras room.

Before he arrived, Katara tried to sleep, still tied to the chains. Her eyes shot open when she heard someone opening the door. She narrowed her eyes, expecting Zuko or Zhao to come get her. But she was surprised when she saw a masked man. He put a finger to his lips, indicating her to be quiet. She was confused, unaware of what the man would do. He looked over his shoulder at the door to clarify no one was coming, and scurried over to Katara to undo her chains. He arms dropped to her sides and she rubbed at her sore wrists. "Thank you so much, I don't—"she started, but he stopped her, holding up a gloved hand. He then motioned for her to come, taking her hand and leading her out of the room and down the hall. He knew escape routes through the engine rooms that could get them out without anyone spotting them. Katara remained silent the whole way as he instructed her to do.

As they made their way out of the ship, they stopped abruptly. Ozai, Roku, Azula, Sokka and Hakoda were exiting the ship and meeting with the leaders of the Northern Water Tribe. Before they could react, the Blue Spirit looked for another route out. He pointed in the opposite direction, leading Katara down a path that was hidden by glaciers. As they navigated their way, they came across an abandoned site with a rundown shack and some basic necessities. The Blue Spirit searched around to check that no one has been around recently. When he was sure it was okay, he nodded at Katara to encourage her to accompany him. "So. Who are you, 'masked man'?" she asked, walking towards him where he stood. He didn't speak, keeping his hands loosely at his sides as he looked at the ground. "You're not going to say anything?" she asked as he looked at her through his mask. Inside, Zukos interest was screaming at him to tell her, but instinct stopped him. There was a pause before Katara hesitantly raised her hand to remove his mask. Zuko, too late to realize what she was doing, didn't do anything to stop her.


	8. Chapter 7

With his instincts screaming at him, it took him until Katara just barely lifted the mask for him to gently grab her wrist. "Wait" he whispered, hoping she wouldn't be able to recognize his voice. Katara tilted her head to the side, looking at him with curiousity. "Then can you tell me who you are? What's going to happen from now on?" she asked, letting her hand drop to her side. He dropped his head, turning his back to her and linking his hands behind his head, putting distance between him and her. He had many scenarios thought out in his he's of this moment, and now that it was happening, he couldn't come to face it. He dropped his arms to his sides as he sighed, then stiffened his shoulders. He closed his eyes shut as he took one deep breath ad removed his mask, holding it in both hands. He felt as though his stomach was going to explode with nerves. He looked over his left shoulder at her, revealing his scar. Katara didn't know how to react; her lips parted as she gasped, barely audible. "Zuko?" she whispered, taking a slight step back. Zuko turned, keeping his head down and dropping the mask to the ground.

"You don't understand. I really didn't want to capture you in the first place." he said, looking in her eyes and stepping closer. "I don't know what to think. How do I know I could trust you? Just because you got me off the ship doesn't mean you'll become a better person." she said, narrowing her eyes. He continued stepping closer until he was right in front of her. To his surprise, she didn't back away, but she still looked angry at him. "I can explain, Katara. If you give me the chance, I can prove to you that I am not a bad person. I got you off that ship because I want to protect you; you wouldn't have been able to handle what they would have done to you." he said, begging for forgiveness. He didn't want her mad at him, he had strong feelings for her. He wanted to keep her safe. Katara couldn't comprehend what he was telling her. All of those years of bickering at each other; she knew they didn't exactly hate each other, but they were definitely at odds. And when he first saw her when she was tied to chains, that's when she was sure he was a bad person. But what information should he trust? How could she know he was being honest? "Why woul you even care? You never seemed to before." she stated, stepping closer and getting in his face, trying to be intimidating.

Zuko felt his neck and ears getting warm with the chaste distance between them. He held his breath to prevent it from coming out shakey and uneven. "Look. If you listen and let me explain, I'm sure we can come to terms with each other. Let me make a little campfire and we can talk more peacefully." he explained, fighting the urge to wrap his arms gently around her waist and kissing her. To his luck, she crossed her arms and gave him space to start a fire. He gave a tired sigh, looked up to the dimly lit sunset sky, and began building a fire.


	9. Chapter 8

The sky was beginning to darken once Zuko and Katara finally sat in front of the fire. It took a while for Katara to calm down and loosen up, and she and Zuko sat side by side on a clean cut log. They sat with two inches of space between them. Zuko had his arms resting parallel on his elbows, staring into the fire. Katara watched him intently. "Before Zhao told me the actual plan of using benders for the army, it was just a crazy, whimpy idea; a 'what if'. I had been telling him about you and how powerful your bending is. That day we visited you guys at the Southern Water Tribe, we had a plan that we should naturally try to get you onto the ship without it being a big problem. I told him we should just let it go and forget about it because it would never work." he said, pausing to catch his breath. He rubbed the back of his neck pensively, sighing. "When your dad refused to let you come, Zhao began to take this way to seriously. I didn't think he was serious when he said he wanted to capture the strongest benders of each element until he told me about the earth bender, Toph and his plan to catch the air bender after you. That's when I knew I had to try to get you guys off the ship. I was going to turn back to get Toph, but I realized it was too late once we found this little get-a-way. If I could have gotten her off as well, it would have set his plan back and he would've had to re-evaluate; back tracking. I probably could have prevented him from getting Aang as well." Zuko said, staring into the fire a bit longer, then kicking at the ground, standing and linking his arms behind his head.

He stared to pace, mumbling to himself. Katara sat in silence for a few moments, thinking it all over. "You know, Zuko, you can't protect everyone. You have good intentions, but they could only bring you so far." she said, resting a finger on her lips. Zuko stopped dead in his tracks, facing her and considering her advice. He had a blank expression as he thought through it. "Yeah, I know, but if I had at least tried grabbing Toph as well, it would have thrown off his plans and it would've saved time. I just-" he said, stopping mid sentence as he sat back down next to Katara, dropping his face into his hands and sighing heavily. Katara stayed silent to give him time to cool off. After a few moments, she scooched closer to him, their sides and thighs slightly touching. "Look, Zuko. You did all you could; maybe once he realizes that I'm gone, he'll spend more time looking for me than capturing anyone else. Okay?" she said, looking up at him with hope. He sighed, looking forward then down at her, nodding.

At this moment, he felt a strong connection between them. He dound himself getting lost in her eyes, getting mesmerized by her lips. In this moment, he swore she wanted to be kissed as much as he wanted to kiss her. Just as he was about to lean in and kiss her, she looked away, blushing. It was the cutest movement he ever saw, that he wanted to gently trace his finger over her cheek and down her neck, stopping at the top of her collar bone. She cleared her throat, which brought him back to his attention. "Why DID you save me, Zuko? I'm not worth it, Toph would have been more important." she said, resting her hands in her lap and fiddling her thumbs, keeping her eyes on her hands. Zuko blushed, knowing his real reason behind it. He kept his eyes on the fire as he spoke. "I really like you, Katara. We've been acquaintances since we were kids, and although we've never really got along, my feelings for you developed a lot growing up. When Zhao told me about his plan, I knew I had to think of a way to get you out; I want to protect you and keep you safe. I feel - I feel like my life depends on keeping you safe and when you are, I'll be at ease and happy." he said, turning his head to look at her. When he turned his head, he was looking into her eyes. "I had to get you out of there, or else I would just go insane knowing you were being used for bad." he explained, feeling his breath coming faster and his heart beating more rapidly. "Oh, Zuko." she whispered, blushing and looking down. He responded to this movement by lifting his finger gently to her chin and lifting her head to look in her beautiful blue eyes again. There was a brief moments pause until he rested his had on her cheek gently, and pressed his lips in hers as if they fit together like lock and key.


	10. Chapter 9

Katara lingered outside the hut, gently pouring water onto the coals to dim the smoke. Zuko was in the hut preparing the thin matresses and blankets as well as a small fire to keep the space warm. As Katara was tending to the coals, she felt her thoughts getting distracted , thinking back to her kiss with Zuko. His lips felt soft and tender against hers; an amazing first kiss. As she finished with the coals, she softly traced her fingers over her lips. She could still feel his lips pressed against hers. She jumped when she felt Zuko put a hand on her shoulder. She rested her hands in her lap as she looked up at him. "When you're ready to come in, I've got the fire going and the beds all made." he explained as Katara nodded. He turned to leave when Katara stopped him. He looked at her with raised eyebrows. "How are we going to get out of here, Zuko? We can't stay here forever" she said, standing to face him. He turned to face her, looking into her eyes. "I'll tell you in the morning when things are less hectic, everything is all settled with how we'll get out. Right now, though, we should get some rest." he said, walking over to her and resting a hand on her arm. The feel of his skin on hers sent a tiny shiver through her body. Her skin under his hand felt soft and warm and it made him want to caress her all over.

He dismissed this thought as he looked at the ground, bashful. Katara nodded, smiling at his blush. Darefully, she laid a gentle kiss on his cheek and pushed some hair back off his forehead. He smiled at the gesture, resting his forehead against her, slowly wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close. The feel of her body against him set his nerves on fire; he had so much difficulty controlling himself around her. Katara parted her lips and gasped slightly as her body came in contact with his. Her hands found their way to his chest, laying them flat. "Zuko" she whispered, blushing and looking down at her hands. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "is it too fast?" he asked, laying his hands on her waist. She looked in his eyes, nodding. "A little. I like it - I like you - but I'm just not ready for such displays of affection yet" she sais, blushing harder. He laid a hand on her cheek and kissed the top of her forehead. "There's no pressure" he smiled, rubbing his nose against hers. "C'mon," he said, "lets head to bed, it's getting late." He took her hand, lacing their fingers together, and guided her to the small hut.

"I put the matresses as close to the fire as possible, although this place seemed to warm ujp pretty quickly. So, I don't think we'll have much of a problem with getting too cold during the night" he explained, letting go of her hand and walking over to one of the matresses and sitting. Katara followed and sat on the one next to him. She dazed into the fire, drifting off into thought. Zuko watched her intently, watching her eyes as the fire reflected off of them. 'She looks so beautiful' he thought; he couldn't stop himself from staring. "What are you thinking about?" he asked, laying on his side and propping his head on his hand.

She sighed, turning to lay on her back. She turned her head towards him but looked at the wall behind him. "About Sokka. Dad. Gran-gran. The villiage. How much I miss them; how crazy the villiage must be scared to pieces wondering where I am." shae said, her eyes looking sad. Zuko lifted his hand to brush her cheek with his fingers. Her attention averted back to him, showing him her attention. "I'm so sorry Katara. I should've never listened to Zhao" he apologized, resting his hand on her cheek and rubbing it with his thumb. She closed her eyes at this movement, pressing her cheek into his hand. "I accept your apology. I know it wasn't something you intended to do." she said, openeing her eyes. There was a few moments pause between them before Zuko leaned in abd brushed his lips against hers as gently as possible. Katara kissed him back, putting her hand on top of his that was on her cheek. He parted his lips but remained close to her. "You should get some rest, Katara. Tomorrow will probably be a long day" he said, looking deeply into her eyes. She nodded slightly, rubbing her nose against his and laid on her side facing him. He watched her as she began to sleep, only able to do so himself when he knew she was asleep safe and sound.


	11. Chapter 10

The next morning, Zuko awoke early to see Katara cuddled against her side. He couldn't help but smile as she slept, pushing a strand of hair from her face. He realized after a few moments of the distraction that the hut was colder than it was last night. He looked to the fire to see that is was dimmed to just coals. He was surprised; he was sure there was enough ligs in order to last them the whole night. That would explain, though, why Katara slept next to him, although he wasn't complaining. Being a fire bender had the advantage that if the weather got too cold, they can naturally warm themselves to a reasonable temperature so they don't reach hypothermia. He liked where it led to this morning, it was a good feeling having Katara in his arms. He nuzzled his face in her hair then gently kissed the top of her head. At this movement, she shifted, nuzzling her face into Zukos chest, then mumbled and moaned as she awoke. She shivered as her body reacted to the cold. "Why is it so cold?" she asked, rubbing her feet together. "The fire went out some time last night. I probably should have checked it a few times." he said, rubbing her arm. "I can restart the fire so we can get warmed up; how does that sound?" he said into her hair then kissing the top of her head again. Katara nodded, releasing herself from him so he can tend to the fire.

He stepped around her and crouched in front of the fire, adding some more logs and easily throwing some fire at the kiddling to get it started. Katara watched him as she sat up. She looked him over, checking out his body structure, his strong arms. She cleared her throat and looked at her lap to hide her blush. "So, you promised you'd tell me what our plan of action is; what's going to happen" she said, looking back up at him to see that he was watching her, his elbows resting on his knees. She smiled, pushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Well" he said, rocking back onto his heels, "I've contacted my mother through a messanger bird on the ship before I rescued you off the ship, telling her what the current situation is and where we are. Telling her this, I asked if she'd ncome and retrieve us and bring us back to the villiage where she lives." he explained, bringing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around his knees. "The villiage? I should be going back to the South Pole. Zuko,-" Katara started, but Zuko stopped her before she continued.

"Just listen. I'm getting there" he said, leaning over and kissing her forehead. "When we get to the villiage, we'll send another messenger bird to your villiage stating where you are and that you're safe. They probably won't be happy knowing that you're with fire nation people, but I'm sure we can get them to understand that the people of my mothers villiage aren't the traitors. Hopefully, we can convince your brother and father to get you from here on their canoes. That's all I've planned out so far; hopefully my mother will ger here in the next few days to get us" he said, taking her hand in his and tangling their fingers together. He played with hers, then lifted her hand, gently kissing the top of it. She giggled, hiding her face in her shoulder as she blushed. Zuko quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into an embracing hug.

"I absoutely love that adorable blush of yours" he whispered into her ear. She nuzzled her face into his neck, giggling some more. Her forehead touch his neck and it felt warm against her skin. She cuddled closer into his chest, wrapping her arms loosley around his torso. "How come you're so good to me, Zuko?" she asked, squeezing. Zuko pulled his face away from her neck so he could look into her eyes. He brushed away some hair from her face and laid a hand onto her cheek. "Because I care about you, I want to protect you. I know it might not have seemed like it before, but I was only hiding it because I was afraid that you wouldn't deel the same. Your protection and happiness is the most important to me." he said, nuzzling his forehead against hers and rubbing the small of her back. Kataras stomach growled, breaking their bond. Zuko chuckled as she flinched at her stomach and he gently kissed her. "Lets go get some food. The trail we took to get here leads to water; we can get some fish" he said, standing and reaching out for her hand, helping her up and guiding her out of the hut.


	12. Chapter 11

Zuko sat by the fire, cooking up the fish they caught while Katara stayed by the water to practice her bending. She felt like herself again now that she was able to do something she loved. She's been gone from home for so long the she felt like a piece of her was missing; she couldn't stand being away from her family. In the midst of thinking, she heard Zuko approach her. She stopped what she was doing and turned to face him. "You didn't have to stop. I like watching you bend; you do it so fluidly and naturally" he complimented, brushing his fingers over her cheek. She chuckled, looking down and back up at him. "They're not just some 'little water tricks'?" she teased, wording his joke from when he visited the village. He chuckled, resting his hands on her waist and kissing her forehead as she rested her hands on his chest. "They're definitely not little water tricks. I don't know what I was thinking, you really are skilled, angel." he smiled, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear and then traced his fingers down her neck and to her nape line. She felt comforted by his touch, this particular movement. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around his torso for a hug. He followed, holding her close to him. "Oh, and the fish is ready when you want to eat" he said as she nodded, digging her face into his chest.

In the distance, they heard flapping, and they looked up to see amessanger bird coming their way with a note. "It must be from my mother" he said, releasing himself from Katara and holing his arm out for the bird to land. He opened the note and read it over. "Dear Zuko, it's good to be hearing from you! I'm happy you are doing alright! I'll be heading out as soon as I send this letter and should be there in no later than seven days. Be patient, I'll be there as soo as I can! I love you!" he read, flipping the paper over. "That's all it says. We might has well keep the messenger bird until my mother gets here. Sending it back to the fire nation might be too risky" he said, stroking the bird. He rolled the paper and tied the string, putting into his pocket. He reached for Kataras hand and they walked back to the hut. He let the bird down and allowed it to roam. He took one of the fish and cut it up into smaller pieces so the bird can have some food. He wiped his hands together, sighing big. Katara watched him intently. He paced a litt.e snapping and shaking his hands. He then sat down on a log, resting his chin in his hands and looking into the fire, his eyes distant.

Katara walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing. "Are you okay, Zuko? You're acting a little freaked" she stated, sitting next to him in the log. It took him a few moments to realize she had said something. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and then looked at her with raised eyebrows. "What?" he asked, implying that he didn't hear her. She raised an eyebrow, waving a hand to imply that he was acting weird. "Oh," he said, looking back at the frire, embarassed. "It's just-" he said, trailing off. She laid a hand on his back and rubbed up and down. "What's the matter, Zuko? I want to help" she said, taking one of his hands in her free one, lacing her fingers with his. He sighed, kissing the top of her head. "It's just, I haven't seen my mother since I was little, 7 years old maybe. When Azula and I left with our father, they weren't exactly on the best terms with each other. I don't know how things are going to be, I don't want her to be upset with me" he said, rubbing his free hand over the back of his neck. "Zuko, there's no reason for her to be upset with you, you know that, right? It's your father she's upset with, you did nothing wrong!" she said, kissing his shoulder and looking up at him. "I know" he whispered, looking down at her, into her eyesa. "Our family has always had troubles. I don't want her to think that I'll be a problem for her." Katara lifted a hand to his cheek, putting her fingers through his hair. "Then prove to her that you won't; let her know that you're a good son like you've always been" she said, resting her forehead against his.

"Thank you, Katara. That means a lot" he said, gently pressing his lips against hers, holding her close. Her stomach was in knots, his kisses always made her go crazy. Zuko felt like he was floating on air when their lips met; he always wanted more. He leaned in to kiss her again, but Katara put a finger to his lips to stop him. "I'm sorry" he whispered, smiling and blushing at his own foolishness, "I'll take it easy." Katara giggled, kissing his nose. "C'mon, flameo. Lets eat before the bird takes all of the food." she said as they turned and layghed to see the bird smelling all the fish.


	13. Chapter 12

After eating, Katara and Zuko sat in the hit to keep warm. Katara leaned into Zuko as he had his arms around her, their fingers laced together. He liked having her in his arms, matching his breathing to hers as they watched the fire. He gently kissed the side of her head right above her ear, nuzzling his face into her neck, taking in her scent. She leaned her head against his. "What's your mother like, Zuko?" Katara asked, looking at him. He rested his chin on her shoulder, sighing and looking into the fire to try and remember. He hasd a hard time doing so, he had pushed her out of his mind when he left so he wouldn't have repressed memories. He drew circles on the back of Kataras hand with his thumb. "It's hard to remember, it was so long ago; almost ten years. I do remember she had such a nurturing personality to her, yet very protective in that motherly way. She always knew how to make me feel better, no matter what. I've missed her every day since we left, I wish I could've stayed with her" he explained, digging his face into Kataras neck again. She gently kissed the top of his head, squeezing his hand. "Why didn't you ever go back?" she asked in a whisper. There was a few moments silence before he replied. Katara thought that she shouold change the topic until he responded to the question. "I wanted to, but I didn't want to upset my father by going back. I'm prince, remember?" he stated, lifting his head to look at her. She sighed, searching his face. "You don't need to please everyone, Zuko. You should think of yourself sometime and what you want" she said, pushing some hair back from his forehead.

"Well, I got to save you and look where that got us? I get to have you in my arms like I've wanted all my life." he smiles, resting a hand on her rose tinted cheek, giving her a gentle kiss. She shakes her head, resting her forehead on his. "I don't see what's so great about me" she said, letting out a half smile. "Many things. You're beautiful, you're perfect, you can always make me happy no matter what you do. What's not great?" he said, rubbing his nose against hers. She blushed harder, smiling and looking away to hide it. He put a finger to her chin and turned her head to look into her big, sapphire blue eyes. "I'm happy we found each other. I never thought we'd end up this way, but I'm glad we did" Katara said as she smiled. He put his forehead to hers then kissed her slowly. "I am too" he whispered against her lips. He kissed her once more before laying down on the bed, Katara cuddled in his arms. "I don't ever want this to end" he whispered, looking sincerely into her eyes.

(Three days later) Katara and Zuko sat on a log outside of the hut as Zuko tried starting a fire; they were laughing. "Uncle Iroh and I have gone through a lot together, he's the best man you'll ever meet. I've learned a lot from him" Zuko said as Katara rested her head on his shoulder, smiling as she watched the fire. "He sounds like a great man" Katara said, looping her arm through Zukos. "I wish you could meet him, I think you two would get along very well" Zuko said, kissing the top of her head. A moment later, Katara jerked her head head up quickly, listening. Zuko watched her questionably, asking "what is it?" She shushed him, listening some more. "I think someone's coming, I hear footsteps right around the bend" she whispered, keeping her senses on high alert. He rested a hand on her arm, which made her jump. "Katara, it's probably my mom. It's been five days since we got her letter, remember?" he said, standing and walking around the fire. Ursa approached from the trail, her face bright with a smile. "Zuko!" she beamed, opening her arms. Zuko was ready to walk into them until he saw Zhao walk up behind her, which made him stop dead in his tracks with a confused, angry look on his face. He looked at Ursa, then back at Zhao. "You better stay away from my mother, you peasant!" Zuko screamed, stepping between them to break the distance. "Zuko, what are you talking about? He's here to help us get home!" Ursa said, gently resting a hand on Zukos shoulder. He looked over his shoulder at her, "no mom, he's not. He's the one who captured Katara, didn't I tell you?" she shook her head, saying nervously, "you just told me she was captured, you didn't tell me by who." Zuko fiercly turned his attention back to Zhao, growling. "Not so smart, are we Zuko?" Zhao teased, smirking at him. Zuko narrowed his eyes, then got his stance ready and attacked.


	14. Chapter 13

Zhao backfired with a blast if fire from his fist, kicking up to blast fire from his foot to block Zuko. Zuko protected his face with his arm, recoiling. Zuko quickly ducked to the ground, swinging his leg under Zhao, tripping him. "Zuko!" Katara screamed as Zhao sent out a blast of fire from his palms as he fell. Katara bended a wall of ice before Zuko so he wouldn't get burned. As Zhao was fumbling on the ground, Katara bended ice over his wrists and ankles so he'd be bonded to the ground. She wuickly made a movement, making the ice grow up his legs and arms, keeping him trapped. "Hurry! We can get out of here while he's bonded for the moment" Kayata said as she and Ursa made their way over to Zuko. Katara grabbed Zukos arm and they followed Ursa down to the ship. As they approached, they paised, taking a breath. "My canoe should be up on deck, he wanted to come in his ship. We can untie it and lower it into the water and go from there" Ursa said as they nodded. Zuko looked at Katara with a concerned look. "What is it, Zuko?" she asked, scrunching her eyebrows. "If Zhao didn't stop anywhere after leaving the first time, Toph might still be on the ship; I might be able to get her off" he said, narrowing his eyes at the ship. Katara looked at Ursa with a curious look. "He could do it, we can bring her back home" Katara said, nodding. Ursa walked over to Zuko, resting a hand in the middle of his back. "He has warriors on his ship, they might try to attack you if they see you on the ship she said. Zuko looked down at the ground pensively, then to his waist belt which held his mask and dual swords. He looked at Katara and tapped the mask.

She raised her eyebrows, then shrugged. "You helped me escape that way. It can work for her" she said, smiling. He nodded, undoing the mask from his belt. Katara gave him a quick hug, squeezing tight. "be careful, i want you to come out safe" she said, removing herself from him. He nodded, brushing his fingers over her cheek. "I will" he assured her, putting on the mask and silently making his way onto the ship. Katara and Ursa went on deck to find the canoe, spotting it near the rear. They rushed over and began to untie it. "What did Zhao want with you and this Toph girl? Zuko didn't really go into detail when he sent the letter" Ursa asked, keeping eher attention on the canoe. "Well, apparently, he wanted to capture the strongest bender of each element and use them for his army. That's all Zuko told me, I guess he had some plan to create a big post-war now that Avatar Roku is back Katara explained, elevating the canoe onto the deck abd taking one side as they walked it off the ship, resting it on the shore. "So, what element does Toph bend?" Ursa asked, looking at Katara curiously. Katara scrunched her eyebrows as she thought. "Earth, I think. I'm Water and Zuko's Fire; Zuko told me about an Air bender named Aang, so she'd have to be Earth" Katara said, shrugging. Ursa sighs, loosley crossing her arms.

"Look! Here he comes!" Katara said, pointing to the ship. Ursa turned her head as Zuko was exiting the ship with a younger girl holding his hand. He removed his mask as he approached closer to Ursa and Katara. "Zuko, you did it!" Katara exclaimed, smiling. "C'mon, lets get out of here; there were a few guards I couldn't stop and they might be on their way out" he said, hooking his mask back onto his belt. "We're going onto ANOTHER boat?! I'd much rather be on land!" Toph said, throwing her hands into the air. "Look, we have no choice but to leave on this canoe. It's our only way to get away from those fire nation warriors" Katara said, getting into the canoe after Ursa. Toph sighed big, crossing her arms sternly. "I guess it's better than this ice, I can't see much either way" she mumbled, stomping onto the canoe. Katara looked at Zuko questionably. "I'm blind, if that's what you're wondering. I can sense that you're confused" Toph said, her eyes staring blankly ahead of her. "We'll talk about this later, lets get the canoe going first" Zuko said, stepping one leg into the canoe and pushing off the ground with the other, sitting as they took off. He held one paddle as Ursa held the other, paddling their way into the water.


	15. Chapter 14

"Where are we headed? Toph, where do you live?" Ursa asked, keeping her eyes in front of her. Toph was gripping the seat tight, her face expressionless. "I live in Ba Sing Sey. We're not too far from there, right?" she asked. Ursa nodded. "If we're headed there, we'd get to the Earth Kingdom sometime this evening. Walking will probably take us another day or so" Ursa informed, scaling the waters. "Heading to Ba Sing Sey, or at least staying there might not be a good idea" Zuko stated, "that would be one of the first places Zhao would look for us, as well as the South Pole." Katara looked back at him with concern in her eyes, "but I have to let my tribe know I'm okay!" Zuko quickly reached over and brushed her cheek. "We can send a messenger from Ba Sinfg Sey imforming them that you're alright. Let's head to the Earth Kingdom first and work everything out from there, okay?" he smiled, resting his hand on her cheek. She half smiled and nodded, but her face still showed concern. She looked forward and Zuko began paddling again. He felt that he had dissapointed her; he didn't want to make her upset. "She'll get over it, stop whimpering" Toph said, remaining motionless. Zuko narrowed his eyes at her, holding his tongue. Katara rested a hand on his knee and gently squeezed, "like you said, we'll work it out." She smiled, turning her legs arond to face Toph. "How do you do that? How do you see withougt actually, you know. Seeing?" Katara asked, resting her arms parallel in her lap.

Toph shrugged, her body tense. "I see with my feet" she said, wiggling her bare toes. "When I'm on land, I can feel the vibrations and feel where someone is and how close or far away they are. It's like my sixth sense. I can also feel emotions and sense someones vibe when they're near; since the boy with the stick up his butt is in the sane boat, I can tell what he's feeling." Zuko tensed, looking annoyed. "Look, just because you can feel things with your feet doesn't mean you have the freedom to read me like a book. You have-" he stared but Katara laid a hand on his arm to stop him. "Can you guys please be nice? There's no reason to get hot headed" she reassured, "Toph, lets switch seats." Katara suggested. They both stood and sat in opposite seats, facing each other again. Zuko felt a little more comforted now that Katara was closer to him. He reached his foot under her seat to tangle their feet together. Katara blushed and smiled, looking back at Zuko over her shoulder. He blew a kiss, gently tickling her neck. She giggled, looking back at Toph who rolled her eyes. "Anyway" Toph continued, "being on the water or ice has its disadvantages because the vibrations aren't as strong. I can only feel whatever's on the ship and no further than that." Katara let out a half smile, "that's a cool ability, you must fight pretty good then?" Toph nodded, letting out a half smile. "I can pretty much see what's coming from all aroung me as long as it's happening on solid ground" she stated, loosley crossing her arms and yawning.

(A few hours later) Ursa and Zuko continued to row the canoe as the Earth Kingdom came closer into view. Toph laid on her back on the bench, her eyes closed. "We're almost there, everyone" Ursa said, looking over her shoulder at them., "I would say we have about 20 minutes tops." Toph sat up and stretched. "Finally! I don't know how much more of this water I could take!" she stated, facing Ursa. Zuko reached his hand forward and stroked Kataras neck. "We're almost there" he whispered as Katara giggled, brushing her fingers over his. They got to the Earth Kingdom in the time that Ursa suggested. As soon as they reached shore, Toph jumped out of the canoe and fumbled onto the ground, rolling around. "Land! Sweet, rocky land!" she said joyfully, grabbing a load a pebbles in her fists. Everyone retreated off the canoe, then Katara and Ursa pulled it farther onto shore. "I think it'd be best if we make camp here. We'd be better off looking for towns tomorrow when it's light out; we can get food then" Zuko said, removing his mask and dual swords from his belt and laying them in the canoe. Katara and Ursa nodded, looking around. "But I'm starving! We can't wait until tomorrow morning!" Toph stated, throwing her arms down. Zuko was about to get aggrivated with her when Katara stopped ihim, giving him a stern look as he looked back at her fiercly. "I can get some fish for us to fill our stomachs until morning; Zuko, if you could, please make a fire to cook them" she said, raising her eyebrows. He looked back over at Toph, sighing. Katara gently squeezed his arm. "Sure" he said, monotone, heading off to collect wood to start the fire. Katara began scaveging for fish as Toph and Ursa set up camp.


	16. Chapter 15

Once the fish was cooked, everyone began eating. Zuko held Katara to him as she finished eating, stroking her arm. He dazed into the fire as he pecked a kiss at her neck. When she was finished with her food, she tossed her remains into the fire, which made it 'POP'. "When I was out getting wood, I found this nice place in the woods and I'd really like to show it to you; I think you'd like it. Do you want to go and see it?" Zuko asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and gently squeezing, resting his chin on her shoulder so he could see her. She looked at him surprised. "Now?" she asked. "Mhm" he nodded, lifting his head, "I think it would look beautiful at night, you won't be disappointed." Katara looked over at Toph and Ursa. Toph was already asleep and Ursa was setting up her spot for sleep. "You can go, you've been with us all day, I think you guys deserve some alone time" she said, smiling at them. Katara giggled and blushed, looking at Zuko. "So will you go with me?" he asked again. Katara noded as Zuko stood and gave her his hand. She grabbed it lightly as she stood and they ventured off into the woods. Zuko entwined his fingers with Kataras, pulling her closer. She smiled, huddling against him. "So, what's this special place you want to show me?" she asked, smiling up at him. He leaned his head down to gently press his lips against hers. "Just wait and see" he whispered, wrapping his arm around her waist, "I know you'll like it."

They made their way off the trail they were on and set towards the location. Zuko positions himself behind her and wrapped one arm around her waist and the other gently over her eyes. "The place is right up ahead, I want you to be surprised when you see it" he said, grinning. Katara smiled at his change in demeanor. They slowly came to a stop as they reached the destination. "Are you ready?" he whispered into her ear as she grinned, nodding. He uncovered her eyes, allowing her to scan the spot. A small gasp came from her lips as she looked it over. There was a spring and pond on the far right end with logs along the edge of it and a spot for a fire right beyond it. A little moss trail led to the fire spot with flowers surrounding the whole area. Water Lillies floated in the pomd with cat tails around the spring. At this time of night, fireflies dotted the air, creating a dim glow as the only source of light at the moment. Katara brought her fingers to her lips, turning her head to Zuko. "Do you like it?" he asked, worried by her unsettling silence. "It's absolutely beautiful Zuko, I love it!" she said, wrapping his arms around his torso and rested her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. "I instantly thought of you when I first came across it. I thought it'd be nice to spend a bit of time here" he smiled, kissing the top of her head.

That's when Katara noticed a blanket spread out before the fire. She looked up at him and blushed, a little smile coming to her face. "I'd like that a lot" she said, almost in a whisper. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. He then grabbed her hand and brought her over to the blanket, sitting. He got a small fire going and sat back so Katara couldrest herself against him. She pressed herself to him and look up at him, smiling. "This is so romantic, this is the best thing anyone as ever done fore me" she said, looking into his eyes. Well, you mean a lot to me, and I thought it'd be nice to do something special for a very special girl" he said, gently resting his hand on her cheek. She lifted her head to bring her lips to his. He continued to kiss her passionatly, resting his other hand on the small of her back to hold her closer. She slipped her arms around his neck as he laid her on her back. One of his hands rested on her hip and the other on her neck. "Zuko" she whispered into his ear as he kissed down her cheek and neck. She tangled her fingers in his hair and lightly gripped as he searched her body. He kissed her again and lightly moaned, barely audible, against her lips. That night, they fell asleep in each others arms to the crackle of the fire and the soothing rhythm of the spring.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen: The next morning, Katara awoke confused, acutely unaware of where she was at the moment. She started to sit up but felt warmth pressed against her back and she fixed her gaze over her shoulder. When she saw Zuko, she remembered that they had spent the night together at the spring. Her lips upturned in a small smile as she carefully turned to face Zuko nose to nose. She gently traced a finger in circles on his cheek, admiring the softness of his skin. She searched his face as he slept, adoring how charming and serene he looked while he was asleep. Her thoughts began to roam elswehere as he clouded her mind. She wondered what it'd have been like if they had taken it further last night than just kissing and making out. Her mind scattered at the thought of Zuko softly tracing his finger tips from her knee, up her thigh and tickling at her waist line, encouraging her to beg for more as he continued to tease her. She felt her cheeks and ears flush and get warm at her exoctic cotemplations. He startled her when he moaned awake, stretching his back to loosen his muscles. She remained motionless as she watched him. He turned on his back as he extended his arms over his head, exposing his waist and torso. His biceps tightened as he paused in that position for a few moments. Katara couldn't help but stare and blush harder, given her current thought process. He contracted his arms back to his body and pulled himself together, his knees to his absomen and arms tucked to his chest.

He faced Katara once more and looked into her beautiful blue eyes. He couldn't help but get lost in them and contsantly think of how gorgeous she was. He gave her a warming smile and gently rested his hand on her cheek. "Good morning, sweetness" he greeted, his voice a little hoarse from sleep. He rubbed his nose against hers softly, which made her blush when he recoiled. "How did you sleep last night? You didn't get too cold, did you?" he asked, hoping she didn't have any trouble. He liked making sure everything went okay for her. She giggled; she liked knowing he cared for her. "I slept very well, your warmth helped out a lot, flameo" she smiled, poking at him. He grinned, grabbing her waist and pulling her closer to him so their bodies were fiercly touching. They rested their foreheads together, slowly leaning in to passionately kiss. She threaded her hand through his hair to kiss him a bit harder. Zuko nipped at her bottom lip, tracing the tip of his tongue along it. They parted for breath and she blushed fiercly once more as her thoughts flooded back to her. He nuzzled his forehead against hers, making her want to kiss him with a passion. "I really enjoyed last night" she whispered, nuzzling into his chest. He kissed the top of her head, burrowing his face in her hair. "I did too, it was really nice" he whispered back, hugging her tight. She felt every crevas of their bodies touch, imagining what it would have been like to feel his warm skin pressed and rubbing against hers. This once again made her blush and Zuko couldn't help but point it out. He chuckled, resting a hand on her warm cheek. "How come you're blushing so much?" he asked, searching her eyes. She got bashful, giggling at herseld. "I just-"

Before she could finish, Ursa came along the trail, bracing herself against a tree. Zuko sat up startled, relaxing when he realized it was his mother. "I don't want to have to interupt guys but I think we should start heading to the nearest town. I don't want to take the chance of Zhao finding us here" Ursa said, brushing some hair behind her ear. Zuko nodded, "that'll probably be best, we can probably get some food in the next town over." Ursa nodded, smiling, "don't take too long, meet us at the main trail in a few minutes so we can get going." Zuko nodded his understanding. Katara sat up and rested a hand between his shoulder blades, gently rubbing up and down his spine with her fingertips. He looked back at her as he rested a hand on her cheek, softly kissing her. "Come here" he whispered, resting his hands on her lovehandles and tugging her closer. She looked at him quizzically as he pulled her into his lap so she was stradling his waist. She rested her face into his neck, pecking small kisses along it. "I want to have a little bit more time alone before we head out" he whispered, shaking as she kissed along his neck. She gently bit at some skin, teasing it with her tongue. She hoped she was doing something right, she wasn't sure what he liked. "Agni, Katara, the feels good" he whispered into her hair, resting his hands right under her shirt. She pressed herself against him harder, gently grinding against his hips. Zuko hissed, biting his lip in satisfaction.

"You guys! What did I tell you about my feet?" Toph yelled, starky. Zuko and Katara jumped, putting some distance between themselves."I didn't think she'd be there already" Zuko whispered, chuckling. He laid a hand on the nape of Kataras neck, bringing her forehead to his. "Maybe another time" Katara whispered, blushing. Zuko nodded, planting a gentle kiss on her lips. He massaged the skin along her waist with his thumbs. Her skin was soft and warm under his touch, he couldn't help but imagine feeling all over her beautiful body "Lets go" he said, blushing, "I wouldn't want to keep Ms. Rockslide waiting." Katara laughed, standing. She reached her hand out to help Zuko up, lacing her fingers with his when he was fully standing. As they came to the trail, Toph was leaning against a boulder, a smirk on her face and arms crossed. "You're going to be a cynical one, aren't you?" Zuko asked, narrowing his eyes, supressing a small smile. "Oh, cynical doesn't even begin to explain my mishcevious ways" she said, pushing herself off the boulder with a grin on her face. Zuko rolled his eyes, bringing Katara to his chest. She wrapped her arms around his torso, leaning her head against his chest. Ursa was approaching up the trail, smiling as she got closer. "Are you guys ready? I got your mask and swords, Zuko" she said, giving them to him so he could place them on his belt. Zuko nodded, smiling, "lets head out!"


	18. Chapter 17

At the next town over, it was very settled with a small population. Several kids ran past, laughing and screaming. The group walked up to a market stand that sold a variety of foods. "Hello, how may I help you?" said the man behind the counter, his voice raspy and hard. He was an older man with fizzed short hair and an excessive bald spot. He had a gotee reaching an inch below his chin, with side burns following his jaw line. His attention was drawn to Katara, smiled faded. Unaware of what to do, she gave a half smile. As Ursa and Zuko bought the food, Katara scanned the area to assure its saftey. Some adults that lingered were whispering, often glancing at the group. Katara scrunched her brow in confusion. As her eyes were making their way around the area, she spotted a bulletin tacked on a pole nearby. She walked to it, suprised by the picture painted on it; it was of her. She felt her stomach burst with nerves as her hands started to shake. It was a wanted poster, stating to call the Fire Nation Admiral if she were to be found; a reward would be given in return. Katara ripped it from the pole and casually walked back to the group.

"Thank you!" Zuko beamed as he handed the man his money and retrieved the basket of food. Katara walked up to him and pulled on his sleeve. "Zuko?" he turned, eyebrows raised. Katara handed him the poster. He grabbed it and stared at it, Ursa looking over his shoulder. Zuko felt his breath quicken, anxiety filling him. He didn't notice the poster when they walked into town, he was hoping Katara wouldn't see it in hopes to keeping her capture a secret. Ursa scoffed over his shoulder, crossing her arms."What is it?" asked Toph, "what's so important?" Zuko looked up at Katara, remaining calm. "Lets get you out of here, Zhao could be on his way by now. We can talk about it when we make camp." he said, pulling her into a tight hug, then grabbing her hand a they began walking. "Hello? Does me being blind mean ANYTHING to you?" Toph muttered, annoyed.

An hour later of walking, they made camp in a quiet scene in the woods, a campfire roaring as they ate a portion of the food. "We have to be extra careful tonight; for all we know, Zhao could be on his way already. I can stand watch tonight, I'll at least be able to hold him off a while for you guys to escape" Zuko stated. Katara looked at him worried. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and held her to him, kissing the top of her forehead. He sighed softly, closing his eyes shut. He squeezed her gently, bringing her into his lap. "Don't you think we should go a little deeper into the woods? Someone could point Zhao in our direction and he could easily spot us here, don't you think?" Toph asked, crossing her arms. Zuko sighed, shaking his head. "I think we'll be fine, so long as we put the fire out before it gets too dark; we don't want him to see the smoke" he said, "besides, there's plenty of bush to hide behind if they come near." He gave Katara another gentle squeeze, wrapping his arms loosley around her waist. Ursa gave him a questioning look that he ignored. "I think I'm going to go on a walk" Ursa said sternly, standing. Zuko stared into the fire as Katara and Toph waved. Once she was out of ear shot, Katara looked at Zuko concerned.

"Is everything okay, Zuko? You two haven't been getting along much today" Katara stated, looking up at him. He looked in the direction that Ursa left then back at Katara, nodding and smiling. "We're fine," he said "we just had a little disagreement earlier. It's nothing." Katara just nodded, turning back to the fire and cuddling against Zuko. As the night grew darker, Ursa hadn't returned. As Katara and Toph slept, Zuko grew worried. He was hoping she wasn't trying to backtrack Zhao, he could easily get past her and possibly hurt her. Zuko sighed, looking at the trail. He carefully stood, trying not to wake Katara and made his way to find Ursa. He followed the direction she went back to the town. As he approacehd closer, he heard some arguing. Hoping Ursa wasn't in the middle of it, he trudged forward to see what was the matter. His pulse began to race as he saw Zhao handling Ursa. "You better tell me where the girl is or I'll kill you and your son in order to get to her" Zhao said, gripping her wrists tightly. Ursa looked away, spotting Zuko behind her. "Zuko, go back to camp, get Katara away before his army gets her" Ursa alarmed. Zhao hit her, making her fall to the ground. Zuko felt afraid, swallowing hard. His throat felt dry and his palms sweaty. Zhao looked him over, stepping over Ursa to get closer. "She's this way, Zhao."


	19. Chapter 18

Katara slept soundly until she awoke from a noise close by. Toph sat up, her hands bracing the ground. "Zhao's here" Top whispered, "so is his army." Katara looked around, confused. "Where's Zuko and Ursa?" she wondered, turning around to be faced with Zuko in his Blue Spirit uniform. He gestured for her to stay silent, grabbing her hang to guide her and Toph out to the trail. As they approached, no one was near. "I felt Zhao; where is he?" Toph asked. Katara looked around for Ursa, worried about her. Before she could ask, she felt a sharp pain on her right temple and blacked out. *** When Katara came to her sences, she was yet again strapped by her wrists, only this time she wasn't alone. she looked to her right and saw Toph as well as a boy with an arrow on his forehead. She assumed that he was Aang and felt sorrow that he was also captured. She was hoping Zhao would've given up before then. She looked back at Toph and realized she was awake."Where's Zuko?" Katara asked, face worried. Toph sighed, shrugging. "He's somewhere on the boat, but I think he was in on all this. The capturing, I mean." Toph explained, shifting her weight to get comfortable. In the background, Aang murmered awake. "I don't know though, I couldn't pick up that much." Katara looked away. She was confused, wondering why he would do something like that. "Are you sure?" she pressed on.

"Im pretty sure, although it felt like he didn't want to be. Zhao might've forced him into it; I don't know how, but Zhao definitely had something to do with it" Toph suggested, looking down at the ground. There was a moments silence as Katara tried to take it in. "Is Zuko the one with the scar over his eye?" Aang asked, his voice quiet. Katara jumped, unaware that he was going to speak. "Um, yeah that's him. Zhao is the Admiral" she confirmed, nodding. Aang sighed, keeping his attenting on the ground. They all turned their heads to the door when they heard it unlatch and open. Zhao entered first with a quard, keeping the door open behind him. He scanned them over, assuring himself that they didn't struggle in attempt to escape. If they weren't trouble before hand, he assumed he wouldn't have trouble with them now. Katara narrowed her brows in frustration; she wished she could get free to end him. Before Zhao could say anything, Toph began to pull harshly at her chains. "You better let us go, monkey brains. I could beat you to pulp if I had to" she yelled, slamming her feet behind her. She realized she dented some metal behind her, causing her to look back in suprise. The guard hit her while she was distracted, causing her to flinch and lash out in hopes of hitting the guard back in return. The guard recoiled in time, stepping back to Zhaos left side.

"You're lucky I'm tired up right now, I swear.." she mumbled, trailing off. Two other guards stepped in for assistance on Zhaos right, keeping an eye on Katara as the other watched Toph. The taller guard on Zhaos right wiped his palms on his pants, feeling his breath come quick. He took a quick glance at the guard next to him, then back at Katara. "Now, before any of you make any more trouble, listen to what I have to say. I've captured you for a good reason. You probably know that I have great plans for the war; each of you will be my main warriors, my front men. As we approach Fire Nation shores, we'll take you to the armys chambers where you'll stay and train. These two guards will assist you and bring you to your chambers. I'll see you in a few hours when your training begins." Zhao smiled devishly, turning to leave with the guard on his left. As the door closed, Sokka took off his helmet and rushing over to Katara. "Sokka! What're you doing here?" she exclaimed as he undid her chains, hugging her tight and helping her up. "Zuko sent me a letter through the messenger bird he had after he contacted his mom. He told me to meet up with him at the Earth Kingdom so we can get you home safely" he explained as he released her. Katara couldn't help but grin as Sokka helped Toph and Aang.

Katara walked up to the other guard, a gentle smile on her face. "Who's this under this helmet? Can you tell me who you are? What's going to happen from now on?" she teased, asking him the same questions as she did before he revealed himself as the Blue Spirit. As she went to remove his helmet, he stopped her and removed it himself, smiling big. "Did you really think I was going to let Zhao take you?" he asked, wrapping his other arm around her waist and pulling her close. "What makes you think I was so worried?" she pressed, poking his chest gently. He brought his lips to hers, barely brushing them together. "You must not know how easy you are to read" he whispered, bringing his lips to hers as she smiled before Sokka interrupted. "Hello! Stop being lovey dovey and move!" he said, taking Zuko by the arm and heading out of the room with everyone trailing behind. Katara blushed as Zuko looked back at her and blew her an air kiss. As they exited the Fire Nation ship, they made their way through several alleys of the town before reaching the coast far out of sight. "Sokka, how are we all going to get back? You probably only brought one of our canoes" Katara worried, looking around. "Duh, don't think I didn't see this through. Give him a few more minutes" Sokka explained, looking out onto the waters. "Him? Sokka..." Katara trailed off as she saw a slightly smaller boat than the Fire Nations approaching with Southern Water Tribe flags. He father stood at the front end of the ship steering and waving.


	20. Chapter 19

Zuko, Katara, Sokka and Hakoda waved as they lastly dropped off Aang. He took flight on his staff to reach the Southern Air Temple. Once he was out of sight, everyone stood idle. "So what're we going to do about Zhao? It's not like we really defeated him" Katara asked, walking to Zukos side and taking his hand. She looked up at him questionably. Zuko and Sokka exchanged looks with smirks on their faces. Zuko looked down at her, pushing some hair out of her face. "We had everything taken care of; we got a hold of my father and told him of Zhaos wereabouts. He'll take care of him" Zuko smiled, kissing the top of her forehead. "So," said Hakoda, returning to the wheel to start the boat. "The way things planned out, you two will be bunking together. I trust you, Katara, to behave" he said, smirking as he looked out to sea. Katara blushed, her face serious. "Dad!" Hakoda chuckled, not saying another word. Katara rolled her eyes as Zuko brought her in for a hug. "It's okay, at least we get to sleep in each others arms" he whispered, kissing the nape of her neck behind her left ear. She dug her face into his chest as she felt herself get warm. They let go of each other as Zuko took her hand and brought her below deck.

Hakoda smiled once Zuko and Katara were below deck. "He's a good kid," he said, keeping his sight on the water. "He has respect for her, he really cares about her. They remind me of your mother and me and when we were that age" he smiled, looking over his shoulder at Sokka. Sokka smiled, leaning on the side of the boat. He looked over his shoulder at the water. Katara and Zuko made their way into their room and onto the bed. Zuko gently rested his hands on we waist an she made her way into his lap, straddling him. She laid her hands on his chest as they touched foreheads, kissing. "So what's going to happen? Are you going to go back to the Fire Nation?" Katara asked, looking into his eyes with her saddened ones. He paused for a few moments, holding her gaze. "Well," he started, wrapping his arms loosley around her waist, "I compromised with my father. He said that as long as I fufill my duties as Prince and help protect you and your tribe, I can stay" he explained, smiling. Katara grinned, hugging him tightly. "Oh, Zuko! I'm so happy, I wish I could thank your father!" she exclaimed, releasing him. "But under one condition" he said, becoming serious. Katara looked at him confused, tilting her head. "What's that, Zuko?" she asked, resting one hand on his neck and the other on his chest.

He gestured for her to stand as they got off the bed. He looks down at her with his heart beating a mile per minute. "I love you, Katara. More than I could ever imagine. My whole life depends on making sure you're happy and safe" he began, taking one of her hands in his and kneeling in a fire nation stance. He removes a necklace with a blue pendant that has water tribe markings engraved on the face of it. Katara gasped, putting her free hand over her mouth. "Katara of the Southern Water Tribe; will you become my princess and serve by my side for as long as we love each other?"

End of Left Unsaid part one. Left Unsaid part two release is unknown until further notice.


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